Fighting For You
by SabreDae
Summary: Rosie has run away from her marriage before it can fully collapse, but what if Max isn't ready to call it quits? Can they still save their marriage before it's too late? Begins after episode 8 of series 7.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: After watching the latest episode, I just had to write this drabble-y oneshot because I love Rosie and Max and I don't want their relationship to be over. I thought they were such a sweet couple and was heartbroken when they lost the baby in series 4. After the tragedies of Sarah's death, losing the baby and the many animal attacks over the course of the show, I can't believe how cruel the writers are being. Anyway, rant over. I hope you enjoy this little fic. Incidentally, this is the first Wild At Heart fanfic I've written so I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts.**

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><p>Facing the reality of the breakdown of her marriage to Max by finally telling someone, Rosie was utterly heartbroken. Their relationship had been deteriorating for months, but she still half believed that one day everything would miraculously get better. Leopard's Den had been a chance to take a break from their marriage, but Rosie knew in her mind she was just running away from her problems.<p>

While Rosie caught up with her family and carried on training to be a vet, Max was alone in Cape Town. The house was empty without her. Despite their differences, it felt wrong to be apart and Max couldn't help missing her. She'd been everything. He loved nothing more than waking up in the morning to see her face, even if it meant another day without her as she worked harder than ever to attain her veterinary degree. Now it was torture to wake up alone, in a cold bed despite the oppressive heat outside.

Before he knew it, he'd booked a plane ticket and was flying to see her.

Rosie had gotten up late and taken a shower, trying to wash away the empty feeling inside her, and gone to check on the lion in the clinic. Caroline was already up and preparing for their guests' imminent arrival whilst Dup, Ed and Danny hadn't yet returned from their night watch on the elephant.

She checked the lion's vitals, finding that after the night's course of antibiotics, she was doing much better. It was with a frown after a message over the radio from Caroline that Rosie walked back up to the house. Even after a few minutes outside, she felt hot and was desperate for a drink.

The cool glass of water fell out of her hands and smashed on the floor as she heard his voice, breathless from running up to the house and into the kitchen.

"Rosie," he murmured, sounding relieved. He relaxed merely at the sight of her, real and whole in front of him.

"Max?" she asked in disbelief. Her heart warmed at the sound of his voice filled with love the way it used to be. "What are you doing here?"

Before she left Cape Town, they'd had an awful argument and Rosie had fully expected to never see him again.

"Rosie, I love you-"

"-Max, we want different things-"

"-Just hear me out," he begged. "We don't want different things. I married you, Rosie, because I loved you and I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I still do; nothing's changed. Marriage is hard – people argue and fight. But I will spend the rest of my life fighting _for _you. It's difficult at the moment with me at the bar and you getting your degree but if we can do this," he told her taking her hands and squeezing them, "then we can do anything. If we get through the next year, then everything else will be a breeze. We can move back here and you can see your family again. We can start our own family, just like we always wanted to."

The more Max talked, the brighter the picture he painted became. She could see them in a year's time happily sat on the front steps of Leopard's Den, Max with his arm around her pregnant stomach. She could see their dark haired little girl running across the front garden and playing with Cassidy or some other exotic creature.

"Just say you still love me to. Say you want to fight for us," he pleaded, still tightly holding onto her hands and staring intensely into her eyes.

Giving in to the depth of his conviction and her own feelings, Rosie deflated and let out all the breath she didn't know she'd been holding. "I love you," she whispered to him, letting go of his hands to cup his cheeks and pull his head down to her level so she could kiss him.

His lips were soft but insistent against hers – the way they'd always been. After so long since their last kiss, the feeling of their lips moving against each other brought a smile to both of their faces.

Max trailed his hands down her sides and to her thighs where he picked her up, still lip-locked, and carried her to her room, or rather their room, as it would probably forever be called.

**A/N: Let me know what you thought!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:Thanks so much to Sherlocked I Am XD, wildatheartfan, cloloveswah and wildheart for reviewing. I am now continuing this story upon the suggestion of wildatheart fan. I'd love to know what you think of this chapter so be sure to review!**

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><p>Rosie lay over Max's chest with a lazy smile lighting up her face. Her cheeks were flushed from their afternoon activities, and though they knew there was every chance that Danny, Dup, or even worse, Ed, could walk in on them they were too absorbed in each other to properly consider at least getting dressed.<p>

Instead, Max lay in the centre of their old bed with his wife and stroked her hair with his long fingers, relishing its soft, feathery texture and short length. His other hand traced patterns on her back where the thin cover wasn't pulled up high enough, earning him occasionally sighs from Rosie. Her back was covered in goosebumps and she couldn't help but shiver.

Yet after so long apart, the two of them were taking time to appreciate the joy of being in one another's arms once more. Rosie could smell the faint aroma of beer clinging to Max's skin just as it always had. The scent of it surrounded her. It was like walking through their front door in Cape Town, his soft smell welcoming her home. She burrowed her head into the side of his neck and inhaled deeply, re-familiarising herself with it as he pressed a kiss to the top of her silky bob.

She laughed lightly, remembering he'd done the same thing after their first time and again on their wedding night.

"What are you laughing at?" he asked quietly, stroking a hand up and down her back again.

Pushing herself up on her elbows, Rosie drew back to look at his face and poked him lightly.

"Me?"

"Yes, you, Max," she laughed again, laying her cheek back against his chest right over his heartbeat. Its steady rhythm was comforting and it too reminded her of past shared nights.

"We can't lie here all day you know," Max commented, speaking off hand and shifting slightly to stop one of his legs losing all feeling from where Rosie had slotted her own shapely legs between his.

She groaned and rolled off him, turning to stare at his face before sliding out from under the covers and setting about finding the clothes Max had so haphazardly thrown about the room. As she moved about the room, he simply watched her. After their time apart and the months when he slept on the sofa, all the attention made her feel a bit self-conscious, but she did her best to take it in her stride, throwing his tight-fitting t-shirt back at him and stooping again to pick up his jeans.

When they were both dressed, Max held out his hand to her and, without a second's hesitation, Rosie took it. He pressed a gentle kiss to the back of her hand and let her lead the way out of the bedroom. She looked left and right, before proceeding to sneak down the hall towards the front door.

"Rosie," Max whispered, drawing her up short. "Why are we sneaking? I'm your husband; not the other man."

"Right," she replied in equally hushed tones, feeling sheepish as she straightened up and shot him a smile.

Before they made it to the door, it opened and admitted in Danny, followed by Dup and Ed. The three of them laughed, in mid conversation, and then Danny's jaw dropped as he caught sight of his son-in-law.

"Max?" he asked in disbelief. "It's good to see you."

Rosie smiled at the level of sincerity in his voice.

"Mr Trevanian, it's good to see you too!"

Her father came forward and clapped Max on the back before enveloping him in a hug.

"It's Danny, remember?"

"Danny," Max corrected himself, smiling and laughing with him.

As soon as Danny released Max, Dup replaced him and wrung his hand enthusiastically. His favourite barman had returned.

"Ed, I'd like you to meet my son-in-law," Danny said, holding his arm out towards Max and inviting his business partner forwards.

"Ed Lynch," he greeted Max, stepping forwards and politely shaking hands with him.

"Max Gifthold."

"So, how long are you with us, Max?" Danny asked, laying an arm over his shoulders and directing them back to the kitchen. DuPlessis followed, knowing that the three of them were going to be catching up over beers and getting excited at the prospect. Perhaps it was his experience in bars, but there was just something special about the way Max prepared his drinks.

"I thought you said you'd split up," Ed hissed to Rosie, who was stood smiling slightly in the hallway still.

"I thought so too," she replied with a shrug.

"So what's he doing here?" There was something odd, thought Ed, about the fact that both his and Rosie's estranged spouses had turned up within days of each other.

"He's not giving up on us, and I don't want to either." Admitting it felt good, and reunited, Rosie couldn't help feeling that she and Max were stronger than ever. There was just something about Leopard's Den and its ability to heal even the worst of hurts. It had helped her and Danny through the death of her Mum and then the tragedy of Sarah's death too. Now it had brought her and Max closer together again.

Ed nodded and muttered an excuse about going to check on his wife at Mara, leaving the family to themselves.

Turning on her heal, Rosie practically skipped down the hall to the kitchen and as she passed her husband, she placed a kiss on his cheek before carrying on to the fridge and pulling out the bottle of wine.

"Are we celebrating something?" Caroline asked, entering warily with Nomsa.

"You could say that," Max told her.

"You're back together, aren't you?" she asked, looking between Rosie and Max in delight.

"To Rosie and Max!" Danny declared, lifting his beer bottle and toasting his daughter and son-in-law.

"Rosie and Max!" chorused everyone, as the objects of the toast smiled lovingly at one another and kissed again.

By the time evening fell and Nomsa served up dinner, Dup had drunk himself under the table and everyone else was happily reminiscing about the early days of Rosie and Max's relationship.

"So how's Alice?" Max asked, finally turning the conversation away from him and Rosie.

"She's doing great. Baby Robert is doing well too – mother and son will be in the UK for a while yet though."

"Glad to hear it. It'll be nice when they come back though to find Leopard's Den up and running and better than ever surely."

"If they come back," Danny muttered darkly. "Alice wants to stay in Britain and raise Robert…"

Nobody quite knew what to say, but Caroline stepped up to the mark and tried to console him.

"I'm sure Alice won't be able to stay away too long, Danny. Leopard's Den has a strange power over people."

Danny nodded and took another swig of his beer, apparently drowning his sorrows.

"Perhaps we ought to go to bed," she suggested tactfully. "After all we have the first guests arriving tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, night Dad," Rosie said, kissing Danny's cheek before taking Max's hand and idly strolling to their bedroom with her head on his shoulder.

"Feels weird to be back here together, doesn't it?" she asked, as he finally got round to unpacking his bag and pulling on his pyjama trousers. His t-shirt had been gone the moment he'd walked into the bedroom, abandoned on the chair by the door just like he always did at the house in Cape Town.

He smiled and wrapped his hands about her waist and leaning his chin down her bare shoulder beside her camisole pyjama top. She snuggled back into his chest, the contours of their bodies fitting together perfectly.

"But it feels right," he contradicted.

"I know exactly what you mean." Her voice was barely a whisper as she turned in his arms and kissed him, her lips moving with his and her tongue probing into his mouth. Her fingers twisted into his hair, twining it around as much as possible. His arms tightened about her, sending shivers of pleasure through her. She smiled as he backed up and fell onto the bed.

Breaking the kiss, she crawled up him and laid down on the bed, beckoning to him.

Max grinned and did as asked, following her up the bed and pulling her into his arms, ready to sleep.

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><p><strong>AN: So I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me now what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks to wildatheatfan, cloloveswah and wildheart for reviewing! Hope you like this chapter.**

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><p>After a few days together, Rosie and Max easily slotted back into their normal routine of waking up and ignoring their alarm clock until her phone went off with the 'emergency alarm' as they termed it. They usually hurried out of bed, knowing it was gone ten o'clock, Max pulling on his t-shirt inside out and Rosie being sure to pick up the radio.<p>

Whilst she was carrying on working with Danny and Ed, Max was phoning the movers to find out their progress on shutting up their house in Cape Town. His clothes had already been sent on, but they were still waiting on the furniture.

They'd decided that they'd spend at least the year at Leopard's Den together whilst Rosie completed her placement. In the meantime, Max was helping out in Fatani's bar and looking after the guests at Leopard's Den the way a concierge at a hotel might. It was demeaning for him to own a bar back in Cape Town and yet be working for someone else, but Max and Rosie both figured it was only temporary.

Max was with Fatani and Olivia at the bar that afternoon, serving up drinks and trying to ignore the pair of them kissing behind the bar whilst he did all the work. That was the luxury of owning and managing your own bar – you dictated all the manual work to your inferiors and did whatever you wanted instead of the paperwork.

When he'd first asked if he could work in the bar again, they'd welcomed him with open arms and congratulated him on getting back together with Rosie. But he couldn't help feeling that he was intruding. And his own ego had taken a knock when he realised he would be working under someone rather than being his own boss. No longer could he turn up to work whenever he wanted. Fatani had given him strict hours. In fact, the only days he got to spend with Rosie at Leopard's Den were Thursdays. And it wasn't as if he saw her in the evenings either. They had conflicting schedules again which saw him serving drinks all evening and returning to Leopard's Den at five o'clock in the morning after cashing up. He would crash out on the bed, usually still fully dressed, and sleep through every alarm they had. Sometimes when Rosie kissed him goodbye, he'd rouse long enough to reciprocate but usually he slumbered on, blissfully unaware of the world around him.

He sighed, picked up the last beer keg and rolled it into the back of the bar. After the manual labour of unloading the delivery van, his forehead was slick with sweat and his t-shirt clung to him.

Rosie admired the view as he stood up and began cleaning a glass.

"Excuse me, bartender," she called, getting his attention.

"Yes, Madam," Max replied, without looking up at her. "What can I get you?"

"Surprise me."

Finally Max looked up at her and smiled warmly.

"Rosie, what are you doing here? I thought you and Danny were releasing the buffalo today."

"Dad's got Dup to help him. He doesn't need me as well," Rosie told him with a wave of her hand. "_And _I wanted to see my handsome husband, of course." She leant over the bar and pressed her lips to his, still beaming at him. "Think you could have an afternoon off?"

"Sure," he answered, unable to resist the way she stood before him, provocatively leaning over the bar. "Fatani, I'm going on my break," he yelled over his shoulder as he took her hand and left.

"What? Max, I need you to clean the tables."

"Get Olivia to do it," Max said frankly. "Or better yet, do it yourself Fatani."

"I don't want to fire you, Max-"

"-Don't worry about it. I quit."

"Max!" spluttered Rosie, who was in complete shock.

"Come on. Let's go get something to eat."

Leaving Fatani opening and closing his mouth, Max led the way out of the bar.

"What are you going to do now?" Rosie asked. She knew it would do no good for Max to sit around Leopard's Den all day. He was one of those people who always had to be busy and doing something. He wouldn't be happy without something to focus on.

"I'll start my own bar," he told her confidently.

"What if you put Fatani out of business?"

"I won't. It's a big place. Why don't I talk to Danny about opening a bar as part of Leopard's Den. That way I could be closer to you and your dad would get more profit from guests," Max suggested.

"I suppose it's worth a shot."

"Come here," he said, pulling Rosie under his arm and kissing the top of her head. She held onto his hand on her shoulder and enjoyed being pulled tightly into his muscled side.

"I thought we were getting lunch," Rosie muttered after minutes of them wandering aimlessly about the town.

"We are," Max laughed.

"Well I do need to get back to Leopard's Den at some point, so can we…hurry this up?"

Max merely grinned and led the way down a side street to a little café.

"Oh, it's beautiful," she murmured, in slight awe of the building. Whilst it was rundown in outside appearance, like many of the buildings in the town, the inside was decked out in simple décor – a mixture of warm neutral browns – and wooden furniture. It was cosy, she thought simply.

"I thought you might like it. I served the owner drinks last night and he told me all about it."

Rosie wrapped her arms about Max's midriff and hugged him tight.

"Come on, let's go and get something to eat," he suggested, beginning to walk towards the door again.

Inside, they were served almost immediately with a fresh cup of South African coffee and given a menu to choose a meal from. Whilst Max picked a sort of fish pie, Rosie deliberated over having Kota (curry stuffed into a hollowed out loaf bread) and a simple stew. In the end she picked the Kota and dug in enthusiastically, eating food that easily rivalled Nomsa's cooking.

After eating and paying, the couple stood and returned to Rosie's jeep and began the journey back home.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks again to wildatheartfan, cloloveswah and WildHeart for reviewing! It really means a lot. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. As always, it's nice to hear what you think so be sure to review. **

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><p>"Dad!" Rosie shouted as they arrived back at Leopard' Den.<p>

There was no answer. She turned and shrugged at Max.

"Guess you'll just have to talk to him about your bar idea later."

"Rosie, what about the radios?"

"Good point," she told him, smiling sheepishly as she pulled her radio off her belt and asked, "Dad, you there? Over."

"Yeah, Rosie, I'm out with the buffalo still," came his voice, crackling out of the speaker.

"I'll be right there," Rosie replied. She reattached the radio to her belt and returned to the jeep, Max trailing after her. If he wasn't working at the bar, he may as well dig in on the animal side of things at the game park.

Danny and Dup were stood beside their own jeep, watching the five just released buffalo roam through the yellow grass.

"Hi Dad!"

"Rosie," Danny nodded before a look of confusion crossed his face. "Max, what are you doing back? I thought you were working at the bar all day."

"Change of plans," Max answered, feeling a bit awkward. What would he do if Danny refused his business offer? How would he react to the fact that he'd just quit his job without giving their friend any notice?

Danny nodded and smiled. "Well, we'll be grateful for the extra help."

"Whilst you're here, give us a hand with the trailer, Max," DuPlessis called, pottering towards the rear of the jeep where it was connected to an open trailer.

Max smiled to Danny and went to help Dup heave the trailer door up and into place.

"Dad…"

"Yes, Rosie?" Danny asked, knowing exactly when he daughter wanted something out of him.

"Max has a business idea for you," she blurted.

Max shook his head at his wife's inability to keep secrets. She was just such a blabbermouth.

"Really?" Danny asked enthusiastically. His son-in-law had a great mind for business – he'd grown up with it – and Danny was sure that whatever Max's idea was, it would benefit Leopard's Den. "Well, Max, I'd be delighted to hear it."

"Sure, how about over a drink back at the house," Max suggested, as he tied the trailer shut.

"See you back there then," Danny agreed, jumping into the driving seat of their jeep. Courteous as ever, he let Rosie and Max lead off in their jeep and followed them back to the house.

Whilst Danny and Dup unhooked the trailer, Max went into the house and began digging out some drinks from the fridge.

As he turned and set them on the kitchen table, Danny entered and sat down, relaxing after a tiring day of enticing buffalo from the trailer and trying to move the rest of the herd into a bigger field.

"Best wait for Ed," he muttered as he cracked open a beer and took a swig.

Max nodded and opened his own bottle, his nerves rising as they awaited Danny's business partner. He was sure that Danny would agree to his idea, but Ed? He barely knew the man, although Rosie seemed to like him so that was something. Max just had to hope he'd be congenial. Nothing had really given him that impression so far though. Ed Lynch was almost a misanthrope in existence. Only his love for the animals of Leopard's Den and Mara tempered Max's view of him.

Finally, the man swaggered into the room, whistling merrily. Max shot Danny a confused glance – the man was never that happy.

"How's the elephant doing now?"

"She's marvellous," Ed answered with a smile for Danny. "Now what was it you needed me for?"

"Max says he's got a business proposal for us."

"Really? Well let's hear it," Ed replied, turning to look at Max in expectation.

"Well, erm, really I just thought that both Mara and Leopard's Den could benefit from an onsite bar experience..." Max mumbled.

"What about working at Fatani's?" Danny asked, his voice filled with confusion.

"I sort of quit today…"

Danny frowned. That wasn't like Max. He was always so determined and driven.

"Foolhardy thing to do, my lad," Ed told him.

Max shot the elder man a look but remained silent. If he was to convince him to agree to his proposal he had to keep a civil tongue.

"Max…" Danny tried.

"Look, I don't want your pity, but I need something to do whilst I'm here. I know bars – it's what I do best. I could boost your profits by ten per cent, I know I could. Just give me a chance, Danny."

Danny shifted position, feeling awkward. One of things he had always been so pedantic about was providing the guests with a true representation of Africa. Leopard's Den was designed to be simplistic, to offer guests a chance at peace, to be at one with the country and its wildlife. Sticking a bar in the middle of it wasn't going to fit. Mara would have been better suited, but Ed wasn't like to agree with it.

"I'm sure Mara's existing bar could do with a revamp and a barman," Ed offered, as if he'd heard Danny's thoughts.

"Seriously?" Max asked.

"Yes. We've got the spa already up and running so the bar needs to be open to. And if Leopard's Den guests want a bar, they've got two choices. What do you say, Max? Bar manager?"

"Of course. You won't regret this, Ed," he grinned, happy to finally be managing again.

Danny smiled and stood up, taking his beer with him to join Rosie on the veranda. He leaned his arms over the banister and looked out over the garden and surrounding landscape. A herd of elephants sombrely wandered between the trees, whilst their giraffe moved into the garden with its young foal. If only Alice were with him to see it.

"She'll be back soon," Rosie promised, knowing that he was missing his wife from the way his mouth only half-smiled.

Danny nodded and smiled brightly for his daughter. She hugged him, trying her best to cheer him up and succeeding.

"So, how'd it go with Max?"

"Ed's agreed to let him take over the bar over at Mara," Danny replied, staring over her shoulder at the animals again.

"You didn't approve?" she asked.

"No, it wasn't so much that. I don't think it would be possible to have a bar at Leopard's Den. Dup would drink so much that he'd deplete the profit," he joked.

Rosie laughed lightly and squeezed his midriff, aware that he was making it up, although it would have been a concern of Max's too. In her heart, she'd known that Danny wouldn't want a bar on site. Not only would it ruin the ethos of the park, it would detract business from the town and he was always trying to improve ecotourism.

Nomsa walked past the two of them, carrying plates in her hands and began setting up the outside table. Dup, carrying a salad bowl and Caroline brought out the wine. Ed and Max emerged from the house laughing, surprising Rosie.

"Alright, I'll be over tomorrow morning to get started," Max called as Ed walked to his beefy jeep and climbed in. He nodded and started the engine, driving off to leave the family to their dinner.

The evening was filled with raucous laughter as Dup made joke after joke. Rosie held Max's hand over the drinks afterwards. For the first time, she was as drunk as she had been when she returned to Leopard's Den after dropping out of university, the day she first met Max. She was too busy giggling and stumbling to walk, so her devoted husband had to carry her to bed instead.

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><p><strong>AN: Review away. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I hope you like this chapter! I think the end is kind of predictable but it was where I always intended this story to go. Anyway, enough of me talking! Just review to let me know what you thought!**

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><p>Over the weeks that followed, Rosie continued to revise pathology, determined to retake the module, whilst treating the meerkats and wildebeest for worms. Danny and Ed spent many days visiting auctions, trying to buy more zebra and giraffe. They'd even taken down the fences between Mara and Leopard's Den to allow the free movement of their animals. As a result they had a pregnant lioness and were expecting a baby zebra too.<p>

Max had refurbished the bar at Mara and retitled it _Max's Bara_ as a play on words. Rosie was a frequent visitor whenever she had the odd half hour free. He had a chef working in the back and preparing some meals, but the main focus was the drinks. Everything he served was traditionally African with all ingredients coming locally though.

Not only had the young couple settled back into their routine, Rosie couldn't help feeling that their relationship was better than ever. They were open with each other and so caught up with each other that Danny and the rest of their friends and family had begun to avoid them, not wanting to be in the same room as the lovey-dovey pair. Rosie was sure it was the influence of Leopard's Den. It had healed their relationship.

Max even managed to get home earlier, having his bar assistants work the late night shifts so that he could go home to his wife. He and Rosie spent so much time in each other's company that they ought to dress in an overly-large t-shirt and become Siamese twins. Every night saw the pair cuddled close with Rosie either lying with her head and hand on Max's bare chest or on their sides facing each other with Max's arm a warm presence about her waist.

All of their things from Cape Town had finally been delivered, though it was a struggle to fit them into their room. In the dark with the pale moonlight filtering through the flimsy curtain, the many pieces of furniture stuffed in and piled on top of each other made ominous shadows, but of course, neither Rosie nor Max ever noticed it.

Three months passed by before they'd even noticed and then Max whisked Rosie away on what he termed a 'second honeymoon', taking her on a plane to Fiji with some of their savings.

When they came back, looking just as tanned as when they had left, and got stuck back into work, Max phased back into his long hours with ease, whereas Rosie struggled and couldn't escape the feeling of fatigue in every part of her body. When they got up at ten o'clock, it was still too early. When they went to bed at nine o'clock, it was too late. And in the hours between she was ravenous.

If Max noticed, he didn't comment on it.

But Danny did. Every time Rosie jogged into the house and grabbed whatever Nomsa had left out to cool, he tutted and told her to 'Save some for the rest of us.'

She gave him a fake glare, but began to realise just how often she was eating.

Finally, the thought sent her to the doctors. And the phone call with the results of her blood test a few days later was certainly a shock, albeit a welcome surprise.

She beamed, feeling her heart constrict and expand in happiness, desperately wanting to yell the news from the roof, but deciding that Max would like it best to be personal and intimate between them first.

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><p><strong>AN: I think the end is also kind of obvious. But, I hope you don't mind. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This chapter is even shorter than the last and for that I apologise. Some of the later ones are a lot longer, I just wanted to keep this section short and sweet. Thanks to wildatheartfan, Wildheart and Ilovewildatheart for reviewing the last chapter! I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Let me know what you think!**

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><p>"Are you going to tell me what this is about yet?" Max asked as Rosie led them through the bush. They'd been walking for half an hour after abandoning the jeep at the side of the road, but Rosie had yet to tell him where they were going.<p>

"No," she laughed. "It's not that much further though."

Max was surprised when Rosie suddenly stopped as they came through the trees and found themselves standing in front of the strange rock formation. He was aware that Dup would often come and sit there by himself. From the top you could see the whole of Leopard's Den but was completely secluded itself. It was the perfect place.

Rosie clambered up and seated herself on the top slab of rock, waiting for Max to join her.

"Now will you tell me what we're doing all the way out here?"

"I'm pregnant," Rosie answered quickly, watching his eyes the entire time. They were almost the most expressive part of his face and as her words hit him, they widened in shock before echoing her own joy and happiness.

A laugh of disbelief flew from his lips and he pulled her towards him, kissing every inch of her face as Rosie smiled. His hands were already flattened against her stomach.

"I love you," he told her sincerely.

She cupped his cheeks and pressed her lips against his, aware that he had dragged her into his lap.

"I can't believe it," Max murmured, mere minutes later as he looked down at his hands over her stomach. "Our little baby is in here." From the sound of his voice, he was in awe.

"I know," Rosie replied, equally as quiet. Neither of them voiced their concerns, but the memory of Rosie's first pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage was fresh in their minds.

In the following days, though they hadn't told Danny, or anyone else for that matter, Rosie took extra care as she worked with the animals. Every time he walked past as she was lifting something, Max was quick to take the offending object from her, regardless of how light or heavy it was. To the outside, it would have seemed odd, but Rosie loved how much care he was showing. It was a mark of his devotion to their unborn child.

Late one evening, as they lay in bed, legs tangled together, Max absently rubbed circles over her belly.

"Boy or girl?" he asked softly, breaking the contented silence between them.

"I don't mind," she whispered. "How about you?"

He shrugged and placed a kiss on her shoulder blade.

"Alright then, names…"

"Sarah," she suggested. "Or Miranda for a girl."

Max kissed her again, seeking to comfort her on the loss of both her mother and step-mum.

"How about for a boy?" he asked.

"What do you think?"

"Hmm…"

"Shall I leave you to think about it?" she teased.

"Probably a good idea. Or we'll end up with something horrible like Winston," he joked.

Rosie sniggered and felt Max's silent laughter shaking her.

As her laughter died down, Rosie yawned loudly.

"Come on, you need to sleep," Max told her gently.

"I'm not tired." Her complaint sounded feeble in the middle of a sigh, earning another laugh from Max.

"Pull the other one, Rosie. It's got bells on it."

"Fine," she grumbled, her annoyance easing out as Max kissed her goodnight and tightened his arms about her waist.

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><p><strong>AN: So what did you think?**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry for how long it has been since I last updated this story. I had some troubles with my laptop and had to send it away for repairs but I hope you're all still with me. Anyway, since it has been so long, I'll shut up and let you read!**

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><p>It was another two months before Alice finally returned to Leopard's Den. Danny had returned to England, expecting to not return to his home for quite some time. But all it took was one phone call filled with chaotic garbling, what sounded like hens squawking and shouting in the background, for Alice to agree that perhaps it was best to return to Leopard's Den.<p>

After all, she mused, Rowan had Vanessa to take care of him. He didn't need his sister and her two kids crowding him.

So the family of four boarded at Heathrow Airport and flew back to South Africa, taking little Bobby to his home for the first time.

Rosie and Max waited at the airport in Johannesburg for them, desperate to see Rosie's step brother. Although they'd seen the pictures, the little infant took their breath away with his large doe eyes and toothless smile, gurgling away at them.

Alice smiled at their reactions and pulled Rosie into a hug, surprised to see them both.

"Rosie? Max? What are you doing away from Cape Town?"

"Dad didn't tell you?"

"I only got through half the story," Danny grunted as he heaved one of their heavy suitcases off the motorised rail and onto the ground.

"Oh, well, I'm doing my placement year at Leopard's Den," Rosie explained with a grin. "And Max is managing the bar at Mara."

"Excellent! I'm sure we'll need all the help we can get from the sounds of that phone call."

"Yeah…about that…"

"Rosie?" Danny asked, his voice heavy as he awaited the bad news he was sure was coming.

"Ed and Dup just got into a bit of a scrap over his resident meerkat. It was injured when Dup accidently shut the door on his foot, and Ed was a more than a bit unhappy."

Max snorted. "You could hear the shouting carry for miles…"

Danny and Alice frowned.

"We'd best be on the road then."

"Come on, Charlotte," Alice called, holding out one of her hands towards her daughter. Charlotte looked up from the suitcase handle she'd been repeatedly lowering and highering and skipped forwards to join her mother.

Rosie and Max led the way out of the airport with interlinked hands and their shoulders bumping together every odd step.

"They look cosy," Alice murmured to Danny.

Danny smiled and nodded. He too was glad that Rosie and Max appeared to have worked out their differences and were happier than ever.

Max and Rosie each drove a jeep home. Alice and Robert shared Max's jeep with more of the luggage, whilst Danny and Charlotte accompanied Rosie, the three of them singing children's songs as they drove.

Every so often Max would glance back in his wing mirror, his anxious eyes searching out Rosie's jeep. The motion was not missed by Alice, who followed his eyes wondering what could be distressing the young man so much.

As they pulled into Leopard's Den, Max leapt out of the jeep and pulled Rosie into his arms the moment she arrived, helping her out of the jeep. Only Alice noticed the way his hands lingered at her waist – a tell-tale sign of pregnancy.

As Danny unloaded their bags and carried them into the house, Alice picked Robert out of his car seat and walked towards Rosie and Max.

"So you're pregnant?"

Rosie's eyes widened. "How do you know?" She couldn't contain her shock; it was like her step-mum was psychic sometimes.

"I've been there twice," Alice answered with a laugh, reassuring Max and Rosie.

"We haven't told anyone yet," Rosie muttered, looking swiftly up at the house and then back at Alice.

"Well, I won't reveal you, but I'm sure Danny would love to hear the news…"

"I know. It's just after last time…" she broke off, unable to finish and Max wrapped his arm around her shoulder, squeezing her into him in support. Alice touched her arm and nodded. Although she'd never experienced a miscarriage, she understood.

"If you want someone to talk to, you know where I am," Alice offered politely, nodding at them and then carrying her son inside. She knew from the pinprick tears in the corner of Rosie's eyes that she needed a moment of privacy with her husband.

Rosie gasped and wiped away her tears. She was being stupid, she thought. It had happened so long ago and both she and Max had dealt with it, hadn't they?

"Hey, come on," Matt murmured, moving to stand in front of her and taking both her shoulders in his hands. "It'll be fine. This time won't be like last time." But even he felt like his assurances were empty. There was no way to control fate.

Rosie nodded, drying her eyes on the back of her hand.

"Better?" Max asked.

"Yeah," she replied shakily.

He stooped and placed his lips on hers, unaware that Danny was stood on the veranda and had seen them.

As Alice came to stand at his side, he snaked an arm around her and nodded at the young couple.

"What do you reckon has happened now?"

Alice tensed.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they're a bit secluded out there, aren't they? And I swear I just saw Rosie crying… I hope there's not trouble in paradise."

"You're as bad as Dup! Your curiosity will be the death of you, Mr Trevanion," Alice said, trying to shift his focus.

Danny turned to her, looking like a deer caught in headlights, and smiled slightly.

As if on cue, Robert burst out crying, the noise easily carrying from their bedroom.

"Your son beckons," Alice told Danny, pushing him towards the front door.

"Alright, I'll get him this time," he agreed.

As he entered the house, Alice breathed a sigh of relief and wondered how exactly she was going to keep Rosie and Max's secret. It wouldn't be long surely till she was showing anyway, and then Alice hoped that Rosie would tell her father herself.

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><p><strong>AN: Let me know what you think! I'd love to know if you think I got Alice in character since it's the first time I've written her into the story.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I know I don't normally update this soon, but I just felt like it. Thanks to c8linWAH, wildatheartfan, cloloveswah and anon for reviewing chapter seven!I hope you all like this one!  
><strong>

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><p>Max smiled as he leaned back against the rusting metal fence, watching Rosie with the recently orphaned elephant Jala. They'd both been nervous when Danny asked over breakfast if Rosie could keep an eye on him. It just seemed too resonant of her accident and following miscarriage. But their worries had turned out to be unneeded. Even if none of their family knew about Rosie's pregnancy, the animals were apparently able to sense it, and Jala plodded around her, gently nudging and stroking her belly with her trunk. Rosie laughed lightly and rubbed the elephant's trunk affectionately, willing to play now she knew that there was no danger.<p>

It wasn't just Jala either.

The leopard cubs in the clinic for respiratory problems had enjoyed sleeping on her tummy and had been so comfortable around her that Dup had sarcastically remarked, "What are you Doctor Doolittle now?"

Max had struggled not to laugh, whilst Rosie had rolled her eyes at the Afrikaan man's rubbish joke and carried on stroking their soft fur, teasing one of the leopard's ears between a finger and thumb.

"This is incredible," Danny enthused to Alice, watching Rosie with Jala from the house. "How's she doing it? All the animals are so at ease around her-"

"Well she is your daughter," Alice interrupted, trying to stop her husband thinking about it too much.

"She's not hiding treats, is she?" he asked, craning his neck and standing on his tip toes, squinting at Rosie and Max.

"You think she's got a bag of peanuts stuffed inside her t-shirt?"

"You're right. I'm being stupid, aren't I?"

"Just a bit," Alice told him cheekily.

"Come here you."

Danny's wiry arms wrapped around her and pulled her in for a kiss.

"Not you two as well," Dup groaned. "Rosie and Max are out there canoodling at every opportunity and you two are all over each other in here. I only wanted a drink!"

Alice giggled and Danny struggled to hold back a laugh. As DuPlessis ambled into the kitchen, still grumbling to himself, Danny and Alice both let rip with cackles of laughter. He could be such a grouch sometimes.

"Nomsa! Where's my beer?" he shouted, his voice echoing through the house from the kitchen.

Danny snorted again and turned to go and help his friend retrieve the beers that Caroline had hidden.

Alice skipped down the steps, passing Charlotte on her way back up from watching Rosie and Jala, and leant on the opposite side of the fence beside Max.

"Hey," Rosie greeted her, laughing happily as Jala nudged her again, eager for attention.

Alice returned the sentiment with a soft smile and a nod.

"How's Dad?"

"He's getting suspicious," Alice told them warily.

"Well we'll tell him soon," Rosie assured her.

"We just want to wait until we've had the three month scan," Max explained.

Alice nodded. "Anyway, I'd better go – we're expecting Caroline back from the game drive any minute and Bobby will be up screaming and demanding to be fed probably around this time."

"Right," Rosie nodded. "I'll take care of Jala and then get onto tracking the zebra."

"Thanks, Rosie. It's nice to have you back. You've been a real help and I know that Danny's glad to have you both here."

"See you later, Alice."

"Bye, Max."

"How are we going to tell your dad then?" Max asked Rosie, watching Alice's retreating figure.

She shrugged. "With words?"

"You know what I mean," he replied seriously.

"I guess we'll just sit him down and…"

"Tell him? Yeah."

Rosie nodded and returned her attention to the gallon bottle of milk she was meant to be feeding to Jala.

"Can you chuck that bale of hay over here?" Rosie asked Max without looking back at him.

"Yep," he muttered, ducking down and heaving the bundle into his arms. As he passed Rosie, he lightly wacked her legs with it, earning him a complaint of 'hey!'

In retaliation as she ducked through one of the gaps in the fence and picked up the box of vegetables she'd brought down from the house, she made sure to throw a carrot at the back of his head.

It snapped in half and fell to floor as he winced in pain and rubbed his scalp.

Rosie dropped the vegetables on top of the hay and then took Max's hand, carrying the empty milk bottle in the other, and left.

"Fancy tracking some zebra?"

Max pulled a facial expression but shrugged non-committedly, allowing his wife to tow him towards a jeep.

"Allow me?" he asked, putting an arm in front of her as she made to climb into the driver's seat.

Rosie stepped back and held out an arm, gesturing for him to continue.

As Max drove, Rosie used the binoculars to search for the tell-tale black and white stripes of the zebra.

"Tell me again why we're doing this?"

"Dad needs to know where they are so he can take population numbers tomorrow," Rosie said above the roar of the engine, not taking her eyes away from the binoculars.

Max nodded, satisfied with the explanation and refocused on looking for Leopard's Den's zebras.

"They don't usually stray too far from the watering hole, so head north," she instructed him.

In response, Max turned the steering wheel and headed off the dirt track they'd been driving on.

Before they'd even driven another mile, the radio blared to life.

"Rosie?"

"Yeah, Dad?"

"I've got a rundown cow just been brought in – I need you back here to assist with surgery."

"I'm in the middle of trying to find the zebra," she replied. "Can't Alice do it?"

"She's busy struggling to get Robert back to sleep. I wouldn't ask-"

"Dad, it's fine. Max can carry on looking after he drops me back at the clinic."

"Thanks," Danny said, relief flooding his voice.

"You okay to carry on looking?"

"Yeah, just give me a map and I'll be fine," Max answered, smiling at Rosie. "Come on, let's get you back to Leopard's Den."

He turned the jeep around and sped back the way they'd come.

As they shuddered to a stop, Rosie jumped down, calling a goodbye over her shoulder as she hurried into the clinic. Once inside, she stopped to pull on an apron, wash her hands and get the gloves on.

"Right, I'm here-" she began, breaking off her sentence as Danny, Dup, Liv, Fatani, Caroline, Charlotte and Alice stood up and shouted 'Surprise!'

"Happy birthday, Love," Danny told her.

Max came along beside her and wrapped an arm about her.

"You were in on this," she accused him, realisation dawning on her.

"Am I not allowed to surprise my wife on her birthday?"

Rolling her eyes, she wrapped both her arms around him and buried her face in his chest in embarrassment.

The party moved to the house, and the growing family celebrated late into the night with drinks and food. Luckily no-one noticed Rosie avoiding the champagne and wine. Though when Dup drunkenly handed her a glass, she thought Liv might have seen her tip it into the bushes. The question remained whether she would say anything about it or whether she was too drunk to really think about what she saw.

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><p><strong>AN: So let me know what you thought. :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey! Hope you're still enjoying the story. This chapter's a bit shorter as I split it and the next chapter. Thanks to wildatheart and cloloveswah for reviewing the last chapter! Let me know what you think about this chapter! **

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><p>Rosie's three month scan approached quickly, and she found herself making up an excuse that allowed her to go into Jo'burg with Max for the weekend.<p>

Alice was only too happy to back up her claim that someone from the bank had rung about the changing APR rate of their account, recommending that they go into see him.

They woke up early for once and jumped into the jeep, beginning the long journey into the city. The wind blew Rosie's hair back, barely ruffling Max's shorter length, as they sped down the road, happy in the companionable silence they sat in. It was peaceful and the mark of their close relationship that they were comfortable to sit in silence. There was never a grapple for a conversation topic with them; they knew each other well enough to pick anything and be able to talk about it. Besides, the both of them were too nervously exited to talk.

Max's arms were rigid with anxiety as he drove the jeep into a car park. His knuckles were white where he gripped the wheel too tightly, and it took Rosie's soft hands to pry them away, though then he merely kept a tight hold of her hand instead.

The walk to the hospital had both their hearts pounding, yet Rosie couldn't help but smile in anticipation. They hadn't even made it this far last time, so surely it was a good omen.

Max's face was tight and stiff when they entered the hospital and registered with the receptionist who told them to sit in the waiting room. It was much like a British hospital to Rosie, just with subtle differences. For instance, the nurse who called her name out wore white scrubs rather than sky blue.

Again, Max held tightly onto Rosie's hand as they walked down the corridors of the hospital, following the nurse and finally ending up in their consultation room with the ultrasound machine. But rather than being her support, her rock; he felt as if he was clinging onto her hand for dear life. His head was light and he honestly thought he might faint if he let go. There was something about hospitals that just didn't agree with him. Something always seemed to go wrong whenever he was in one. First his grandfather had died of a sudden heart attack, after being proclaimed healthy, then his father had injured himself further by falling off the bed when he was having his arm stitched up after getting into a bar fight. He'd never received good news in a hospital and was fearing the worst.

The doctor awaiting them was a middle aged man, presumably experienced in delivering children and he introduced himself as 'Doctor Kruger' before questioning the pair on their family history.

"And any history of miscarriages?"

"No," Rosie answered, "but I did have one after an accident involving an elephant."

The doctor nodded sympathetically and noted down what she'd said.

"Okay, we'll just do some blood work and then we'll get you up on the bed and get a sonogram done," he murmured as he finished his sentence and lay down his pen.

Rosie nodded, squeezing Max's hand. He half-smiled at her before returning to his straight-faced expression of worry. The nurse had her up on the bed anyway to draw the blood from her elbow and then she took it away for analysis. It would come back within two hours' time, during which time the doctor did the ultrasound.

Rosie's nerves set back in as the cold, gelatinous gloop was squeezed onto her stomach where butterflies seemed to have settled in.

Max's eyes were glued to the monitor where the image was showing. Sometime in the last minute his heart had stopped beating and he had stopped breathing. His teeth chewed his bottom lip whilst he waited for the doctor to point out their baby.

He paused, moved the sensor again and frowned.

Max's heart constricted.

Rosie looked up at the doctor, her eyes wide and filling with tears. What if there was no baby? Pregnancy tests weren't fool proof. She didn't think she could bear it if she'd been wrong. What would happen with her and Max then? Would he leave her?

The doctor still said nothing but looked back at the monitor, moving the sensor almost continuously before stopping and looking round at the couple, smiling now.

"There's your baby there," he told them, pointing at a tiny blob on the screen. "Everything looks fine."

Rosie breathed a sigh of relief and Max allowed himself to breathe once more, feeling light-headed after the ordeal.

He laughed, breaking the tense atmosphere and placed a kiss on the back of Rosie's hand.

Rosie squeezed his hand back and swung her legs off the bed.

"You can wait in the waiting room for Nurse Roberts to give you the blood work results," Doctor Kruger told them, already wiping the gel from Rosie's stomach and peeling off his latex gloves.

Max helped Rosie down off the table and pulled her into his side, making their way back to the waiting room.

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><p><strong>AN: So do you think Rosie and Max should have a girl or a boy?**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hope you like this update. :) Let me know what you think. I always enjoy reading your reviews.  
><strong>

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters I write about. I just borrow them for my own storyline.  
><strong>

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><p>"So how do you want to tell them?" Max asked as they drove back.<p>

Rosie shrugged, her head bobbing in the palm of her hand where she was leaning with her elbow propped up against the space where the window ought to be in the door.

"I guess we'll just wait till dinner when everyone's together…"

Max nodded, glancing over at his wife to give her a momentary smile before returning his attention to the road.

They were almost back at Leopard's Den, the car journey having been much more relaxed than the one to Jo'burg. They were still waiting for the blood test results to rule out complications, but after the ultrasound Max had been given something to hope for. They weren't out of the woods yet, but being three months pregnant without any obvious complications was certainly something to celebrate.

As Max refocused on the road, he caught sight of the young buck in the middle of crossing and slammed on the breaks.

Rosie complained and groaned as the seatbelt cut into her shoulder, but immediately shut up as she saw the steam coming from under the engine. Max was frozen in his seat, staring wide eyed out the windscreen.

"Max?"

Suddenly he turned to her, his hands gripping her shoulders almost painfully.

"Are you okay?" he asked desperately, his eyes intensely searching hers for any sign of injury – either that or making sure she was being completely honest.

Warily, she nodded.

He gave a sigh of relief and hesitantly unclipped his seatbelt.

His feet sounded loud on the road as he stepped down from the van and gasped aloud at the sight of the mangled animal lying on the ground.

"Rosie," he called, beckoning her with a hand.

Joining him, Rosie retched at the sight of the blood-covered antelope, covering her mouth and trying to swallow down the bile. Max's hand rubbed over her back, his face a picture of concern.

"You okay?"

To say he was confused was an understatement. Rosie had never thrown up at the sight of blood – she was a vet for heaven's sake. It would be ridiculous if she did; she'd never treat any animals.

She nodded, again gagging over the slight smell of blood.

"You know how in pregnancy, women can get kind of repulsed by certain smells-" she broke off to heave.

Max nodded, getting her drift. It was the first morning sickness – well, afternoon sickness – Rosie had had, but it seemed like she wouldn't be able to work around blood for a while. She'd been busy nursing the infant animals like Jala to be around blood before then. Or if she'd had any, she'd hidden it well, thought Max.

He instructed her to climb back into the jeep and set about picking up the poor thing and lifting it into the flat back of the car.

If the wind continued to blow in the current direction, any smell of blood would be carried away from Rosie.

If not, she would be restraining her gag reflex until they got back to Leopard's Den.

Luckily for Rosie, the wind direction did not change but as soon as they pulled to a stop outside the clinic, she finally threw up as her feet hit the ground.

Hearing the sound of the jeep, Danny and Alice both emerged in time to see her and hurried over.

Alice knew exactly what was wrong but for the sake of pretences, she immediately asked what was wrong.

"Nothing, I'm fine," Rosie groaned, heaving again.

"Are you sure?" Danny asked, straightening her up and looking at her pale complexion. It was odd. As far as he could remember, Rosie had always had a good immune system – she had hardly ever been ill, except for the odd cold during childhood.

Rosie struggled to nod, aware that Max was now standing next to her as well and putting on a confused expression. His eyes met Alice's though, and for a moment the two of them shared a knowing look.

"I think you should go to the doctor, Rosie-"

"-Dad, I'm fine," she interrupted, forcing herself to remain upright.

"No, you're not. Look at you. You're sweating, you're pale and you're being sick."

"Seriously, Dad-"

"Please, Rosie, just to set an old man's heart at rest," he said, looking her in the eye.

Groaning, Rosie took Max's hand.

Mistaking her groan for another bout of sickness, Danny helped her sit down, leaning her against the side of the jeep.

"I'm not sick, Dad," she told him as he fussed, stroking her hair down and trying to take her temperature with his hand.

"If this isn't sick, I don't know what is," he muttered.

Alice grinned, aware from the look of determination on Rosie's face that she was trying to tell Danny the truth.

"Dad!" Rosie exclaimed, becoming seriously annoyed. "Will you let me finish?"

Taken aback, he nodded.

"I'm not sick-"

Danny tried to butt in again.

Holding up her finger, Rosie continued to speak whilst trying to ignore Max's stifled laughs and Alice's grin, "I'm not sick. I'm pregnant." Finished, she leant her head back against the jeep door and waited for the news to sink in.

"You're…pregnant?" Danny asked, looking between Max and Rosie for confirmation.

Max nodded and helped Rosie to her feet, hugging her for a moment and placing a soft kiss on her head, quietly laughing in her ear.

"Shut up," she grumbled into his neck where her face was turned.

Telling Danny couldn't have been more difficult or embarrassing, she thought.

"How far along are you?"

"Three months," Max answered, sobering up.

"Three months? You waited three months to tell me," Danny replied, sounding a bit angry.

"Dad," Rosie began to complain.

"You weren't at the bank today, were you?" he interjected.

"No, Rosie was having her ultrasound," Max responded, still holding onto Rosie tightly as a form of support now.

"I don't appreciate being lied to," Danny stated, turning and striding back into the clinic.

Alice looked apologetically at Rosie and stroked her arm.

"He'll come round," she told them.

Rosie nodded.

Then as Alice turned and made to follow after Danny, Max called out to her.

"Alice, I almost forgot, we hit a buck on the way back. He's in the back of the jeep-"

"-Say no more," she replied, hopping up and beginning an examination of the antelope's injuries.

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><p><strong>AN: Thanks to anon, RaxAtHeart, katy1986 and wildatheartfan for reviewing the last chapter. Let me know what you guys think! :D**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thanks for reviewing guys! I promised katy1986 that I would update soon, so I'm doing it now. I hope you'll like this chapter. As always I'd love to know what you think! I definitely need cheering up today. I just finished rewatching series 2 of Robin Hood and cried my heart out with Marian died (and I died a little bit inside too). Anywhos, I'll let you read and shut up telling you stuff you probably don't care about. ;)**

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><p>Rosie was finally showing now. And everybody knew.<p>

It was easier that way – no having to hide morning sickness, no trying to wear baggy clothes – an impracticality in the hot South African weather.

And she and Max had an excuse to lay in bed all day.

Not that Danny accepted it. Every morning, he made sure that there were plenty of jobs – not too strenuous ones – for Rosie to do. If she didn't get up and do them, he would radio her repeatedly until she answered, most often with a stream of swear words.

Their relationship seemed to resemble that of them in her teenage years. Though, of course, Rosie herself was much more responsible and mature the rest of the time. She was just stubborn and unwilling to back down, needing Danny to apologise to her.

For everyone else though, it had become almost unbearable. Whilst Alice tried to sweet talk Danny into forgiving Rosie and make him understand why she'd not told him, everyone else worked on Rosie.

"You know he doesn't really mean it," Caroline told her one afternoon as she followed Rosie into the living room and sat down opposite her.

"Do I?"

"Of course you do. He's your father. He loves you."

"Doesn't really seem like it," Rosie muttered as she rested her eyes. All the tasks Danny left her – feeding the animals in the clinic, cleaning and sterilising all the instruments, topping up medication and the like – often took their toll. Sometimes she could be found asleep on the sofa or sprawled out, snoring as loud as an elephant, on her bed.

"You know that's not true," Caroline told her sharply. Sighing, she gave up on convincing Rosie to talk properly to Danny, just as everybody else had before her.

She started awake as someone flopped into the seat beside her.

"Oh, Max, it's you."

"Sorry for waking you," he murmured, leaning over and kissing her cheek.

She sighed and wound her fingers in his hair, holding him to her for a few moments as she greeted him after another day apart.

Breaking the kiss, Max told her, "Alice wanted you…she's in the kitchen."

Reluctantly, Rosie stood and shuffled off, her legs slightly numb after spending hours unused as she dozed on the sofa.

Yawning and shielding her mouth, Rosie took a seat at the kitchen table, looking around and wondering where Alice could have got to. Max had said she was _in _the kitchen, but she wasn't at the table or anywhere else to be seen.

Deciding Max must have got his wires crossed, Rosie simply waited. Eventually, the sound of footsteps coming down the hall roused her from her thoughts but she was stunned when Danny ambled into the kitchen, whistling a merry tune.

"Rosie," he courteously said, opening a cupboard and getting out a mug. Ignoring her, he proceeded to make a cup of coffee.

Rosie on the other hand felt uncomfortable and was just getting to her feet when the door slammed shut. Danny turned at the sound, expecting to find himself alone.

"You didn't do that…" he mumbled.

Rosie shook her head.

Sighing, Danny crossed the room and pounded his palm against the door. "Alice," he called. "Let us out."

"Not until you two have sorted yourselves out," her muffled reply came.

Danny shrugged at Rosie and sat down at the table, sipping his coffee.

"Max?" Rosie yelled, taking her father's place at the door.

"Yeah?" he called back from the other side.

"You'd better let me out! You're pissing off a severely pregnant woman!"

Her threat hung in the air and in the silence, Danny could have sword he heard Max gulp even though there was a door and a couple of yards distance between them.

In anger, she slapped her fist against the door, cursing slightly as pain lanced up her arm.

"It's no use," Danny told her resignedly. "They won't let us out."

Rosie eased herself into a chair, thinking idly that it would have been much more satisfying if, had she not been pregnant, she'd thrown herself into the chair. That way at least would have relieved some of her frustration.

Silence descended upon Danny and Rosie once more. Neither one was willing to give way. They were just too similar.

Soon Danny had finished his coffee, and was staring into the bottom of the mug, desperate to avoid looking at his daughter. Secretly, for some time, he had begun to understand why she had kept her pregnancy a secret. After all, wasn't that just as bad as him keeping his relationship with Sarah a secret from her all those years ago. Rosie too understood why Danny had been so angry. She just didn't want to admit she was wrong. But the amount of time they had been refusing to properly speak to one another was beginning to grate on her.

"Rosie-"

"-Dad," Rosie said, speaking at the exact same time as Danny.

"-You go," they said in synchronisation, trying not to smile.

Rosie nodded and paused to gather her thoughts a moment. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," she blurted as she released all her breath.

"No, I'm sorry for not understanding. Well, I mean I did understand, I _do _understand, but this is my first grandchild after all and I've waited all my life for this moment. I want to celebrate it with you," Danny told her, reaching out his hand and taking hers.

She smiled at him for a moment before he stood up and walked around the table towards her.

"Come here."

She stood and allowed herself to be pulled into his arms, feeling like his little girl once more.

With a crash the door burst open and Alice and Max stumbled through.

Rosie turned her head under Danny's chin to stare at them, laughing slightly as Max slipped and wobbled, grabbing onto Alice to stop himself falling over.

"We er…" Max began.

"Yes?"

"Everything went quiet so we thought we should check one of you hadn't killed the other," Alice answered Rosie, already laughing along.

Danny released Rosie to gather Alice in his arms and kiss the top of her head.

Max managed to right himself long enough to kiss Rosie and whisper into her ear, "I'm glad you made up with your Dad."

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><p><strong>AN: So I hope you enjoyed it and don't think too badly of Danny. He did understand really. Anyway, leave a review if you've got time!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I hope you guys like this chapter. I look forward to reading your comments. ;)**

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><p>Now that Rosie and Danny had buried their differences, he had begun to allow her to lie in in the mornings again, and started giving her what he termed the 'safe jobs' of looking after orphaned and rejected infant animals. With three vets back at Leopard's Den there wasn't much else for her to do anyway.<p>

Max took over her game drive duties and cut some of his hours at his bar over at Mara, handing over to his second-in-command, Abrahem, so that he could spend more of his evenings with Rosie looking through the baby books they'd ordered in from the city.

When another few months had passed, Rosie and Max were due to return to Jo'Burg for another ultrasound appointment to ensure that everything was running smoothly. This time, however, Danny would be coming with them. He was keen to set eyes on his first grandchild and couldn't be persuaded by Alice or Caroline to let the couple share the moment alone. As for Rosie and Max, they were both trying to compensate for not telling him about the baby earlier and didn't feel they could really ask him not to come. Max especially thought it would be rude.

So the three of them climbed into one of the jeeps and set off, an awkward silence descending over them, although to be fair conversation was pretty difficult with the wind roaring over the open top of the car. It was a pleasantry in the South African heat to feel the wind blowing through your hair and onto your face though.

"So are you excited?" Danny shouted over the wind. "I remember going with your Mum to her ultrasounds when she was pregnant with you," he told Rosie from the backseat, beginning to ramble. "It's a remarkable thing, seeing your child for the first time. So small and precious…"

Max grinned at Rosie and dropped one hand from the steering wheel to momentarily squeeze her hand, as though he was telling her to grin and bear Danny's comments but that her father was right. It truly would be magical when they saw the baby and clearly pinpointed its little head and arms and legs, just as they would delight in being able to hold their infant child for the first time. They were also looking forward to finding out the sex so they could start thinking more about names.

When they pulled into the clinic car park again, Danny hopped out and opened Rosie's door for her before Max had even had a chance to open his own door. The middle-aged man was practically hopping with excitement. He was the father to two children, step-father to two children; but he'd yet to be a grandfather and the idea excited him beyond belief. In comparison to Danny, Rosie and Max looked placid.

But close up, there was a different image to be seen. Rosie and Max walked hand in hand into the reception area, positively beaming and radiating happiness like a nuclear reactor.

"Hi, I'm Rosie Trev-Gifthold," she said, momentarily forgetting to use Max's surname. "I'm here for an ultrasound."

"That's great," the receptionist replied. "Just take a seat and the Doctor will be with you soon."

"Thank you," Danny told her, stealing Max's line.

He made sure though to be the first on his feet when their doctor rounded the corner and looked down at his chart to read off the next patient's name.

"Doctor Kruger, how good to see you again!" Max greeted, shaking the man's hand.

"Mr Gifthold," Dr Kruger nodded, "lovely to see you too. Mrs Gifthold, if you'd like to follow me."

Rosie stood and moved off after her doctor, Max and Danny following behind. Dr Kruger opened the door of his consultation room for her and stood aside to let her and Max in. When Danny came to the door, however, he frowned.

"Hi, Danny Trevanian, grandfather of the child," he grinned.

Dr Kruger nodded and allowed him in.

"Before we get started, have there been any problems?" asked Dr Kruger.

"No, everything's been going fine," Rosie answered.

"Any morning sickness?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"But it's passed now?"

"Thankfully," Max muttered, dodging her hand as she swatted at his arm.

"Great," Dr Kruger said, noting down their responses on Rosie's medical chart. "And if you could just get up onto the bed for me, Rosie…"

She nodded and stood using Max's hand to get up onto the bed. Dr Kruger followed the same procedure as last time, though Rosie couldn't help but feel a bit claustrophobic with the three men surrounding her. Uncomfortable, Rosie turned to Danny.

"Erm, Dad," she began, trying to use all her tact. "Could you, erm… just step outside for a minute?"

"Eh?" he asked, finally tearing his eyes away from the blank computer screen. "But I haven't even seen my grandchild yet."

"I know-"

Before Rosie could finish, realisation dawned on him and he acknowledged that Alice and Caroline had been right. He was infringing on their moment. When Miranda was pregnant with Rosie, he wouldn't have wanted his father or her father hovering over them.

"Don't worry. I'll leave you two alone a moment," he told her, kissing her forehead and slipping past Max to get to the door. "Just make sure you get a photo to show me!"

She nodded and shot Max a relieved, but happy glance. In response, he squeezed her hand and looked back at the monitor as Dr Kruger finally finished setting up the ultrasound equipment.

Again, Rosie's breath was taken away by the cold gel applied to her stomach but it was nothing to seeing the baby on the screen again.

"Would you like to know the sex?"

Max and Rosie's eyes met and they both eagerly nodded.

"It's a girl," Dr Kruger told them, smiling.

"A girl," Max breathed. "We're having a baby girl!"

Rosie pulled him down by his t-shirt and kissed him.

"We're having a little girl," he repeated in a whisper, brushing his lips against hers.

"I know," she murmured.

"Rosie, I can't wait!"

"Me neither," Rosie confessed.

When the pair left the consultation room, Danny was still stood outside.

"Well?" he demanded excitedly.

"Congratulations, Old Man, you're having a granddaughter. It's a girl!" Rosie cried and Danny pulled her close in a tight hug.

"Congratulations!" he exclaimed, releasing her and clapping Max on the shoulder. "I'm so happy for you both!"

"Do you know what you're going to call her?"

Rosie shrugged, tears of happiness leaking from her eyes. Max followed her lead and said nothing.

"Not to worry," Danny said. "You've got a while to decide."

She laughed and wiped away the tears.

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><p><strong>AN: So...baby names...what do you guys think? I hope you liked this chapter. Leave a review if you've got time! Quick thanks go out to wildatheartfan, katy1986 and anon for reviewing the last chapter!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: As I promised cloloveswah that I would update by Friday, here is another chapter. I hope you guys like it! Thanks go out to c8linWAH, katy1986, wildatheartfan, RaxAtHeart and cloloveswah for reviewing the last chapter. :) You guys are the best! **

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><p>When they got back home, Danny was the first to shout the news to the eagerly awaiting family.<p>

"It's a girl!" he told them, bursting into the living room where Caroline and Dup sat going over the books and finances.

"Way to steal the limelight, Trevanian," Dup said, looking up as Rosie stood behind her father with her mouth open. It was true, she had wanted to tell everyone herself that she and Max were having a girl, but it was a bit late now.

Alice, closely followed by Charlotte, ran in out of breath after hearing the car pull up outside the house from the clinic, where she had been keeping an eye on the kids one of the locals had dropped in. "What'd I miss?"

Before Danny could say something again, Rosie turned around and exclaimed, "We're having a girl!"

"Oh!" Alice cried, pulling Rosie into a hug filled with laughter and excitement. Danny was soon scooping them into his arms, whilst Dup and Caroline congratulated Max.

Rosie had to slip out from under Danny's arm to have her hug with Caroline and get pulled into Dup's arms, not relishing the scent of stale beer surrounding him. Charlotte stood nervously in front of Danny and Alice, smiling at Rosie and announcing that it would be exciting to be an aunt before she was even a teenager.

"We're going to go and tell Liv," Rosie said, smiling at her family.

Danny nodded, "See you later."

As Rosie and Max left, they heard Charlotte petulantly ask, "Can you take me into the Bush now, Dup? You said you'd show me the cave."

"Alright, kiddo, a deal's a deal. We heard the news, now we can go."

"That'll be our girl one day," Max told Rosie, looking back to see Charlotte come skipping out the house with DuPlessis trailing behind.

Max drove into the township, the journey seeming to take no time at all. Pulling up outside Fatani's Bar, they hopped down from the jeep and Rosie practically skipped inside, swinging her and Matt's intertwined hands between them.

"So…" Liv asked, leaning forwards over the bar with a wide smile as she set down the glass she'd been cleaning.

Excitement spilling out of her, Rosie practically shouted, "It's a girl!"

Squealing, Liv dashed out from round the bar and joined Rosie in a hug that involved lots of jumping about.

Fatani and Max looked on, seeming amused by the two girls reverting to their teenage years.

"I'm happy for you both," Fatani said, his emotions perhaps more masked than Olivia's had been.

It would have been awkward, for Rosie at least, had Fatani given a warmer reaction given that not long after they had first met, he had admitted having feelings for her. Rosie still felt weird when she thought about that.

"Thanks mate," Max replied to Fatani, as Liv promised Rosie that they would be at Leopard's Den as soon as they could that evening to celebrate.

Rosie nodded and allowed them both to get back to work.

When she and Max returned to Leopard's Den, they found both Danny and Alice in the barn watching the two goat kids prancing about and playing games. Alice giggled occasionally whilst Danny smiled.

"You've got to see these fellas, Rosie," Danny said.

Rosie wandered over and stood beside her father, who lovingly wrapped an arm behind her back, looking on as one of the two kids jumped on top of a bale of hay and bleated. She couldn't help laughing; it was just too cute.

"Shame these two are going back tomorrow, eh?" Alice commented. "Leopard's Den really would have been bursting with life with these two kidding around."

"That was such a bad joke," Max chuckled from behind them all.

"I'd like to see you do better," Alice replied.

"You're on."

Rosie groaned. She'd heard enough of Max's bad jokes to last a lifetime.

"What do you call a goat's beard?"

"Goatee," Danny answered. "Heard it before."

"Alright, how about this one? Why can't goats eat round bales of hay?"

Alice and Danny both shrugged.

"Because they're used to three square meals a day!" Max exclaimed, delivering what had to be the worst punch line in the world.

"Come on, we're going before you can exhaust your jokes bank," Rosie said, pulling Max out of the barn and back towards the house.

"You know you love my jokes really," he remarked, walking alongside her.

Rosie didn't get a chance to answer, as Dup and Charlotte came into view, walking on foot.

"How was the Bush, Charlotte?" Max shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice.

She ran over, her face alit with joy and excitement.

"It was the best," she enthused. "We saw loads of birds, vultures and everything, and Dup showed me the special plants that grow here and taught me about animal tracks. I tracked a zebra," she said proudly.

Looking impressed, Max replied, "Well it sure sounds like you had fun."

"Yeah, where's Mum?"

"She's in the barn with Dad," Rosie answered, and Charlotte took off running again.

Dup staggered towards them, looking haggard and tired with the rifle slung over his shoulder and using his hat as a fan, beating air against his red face.

"That is the last time I take her into the Bush," he declared. "I won't survive it the next time."

"Dup?"

"She made me _run_ practically the whole way back. I'm not old, but I'm not young either!" Muttering to himself, he stomped up the steps and into the house. He was half-asleep in his favourite chair by the time Rosie and Max got inside.

They stopped in the kitchen, where Max poured out two glasses of water and handed one to Rosie.

"Max…while you're there, can you get me some more fried onion?"

He nodded and opened the fridge, pulling out the plastic box they had put yesterday's leftover fried onion in. It was one of Rosie's cravings, though it had to be the weirdest one in the world. Max didn't understand it at all. Fried onions were better than raw though, he supposed. Next, she would be begging for ice cream again, and they were all out. It was practically impossible to get ice cream unless you were in the city, but with her pregnancy hormones raging out of control, Rosie seemed to forget that fact, and it became almost impossible to reason with her.

"Thanks," she murmured as he placed the tub and a spoon in front of her. Immediately, she picked up the spoon and dug in, a hungry gleam in her eye.

Max made himself a cup of tea and sat at the table until Rosie pushed the empty tub away.

"I'll tell Nomsa to make some more tonight, shall I?"

"You're the best," Rosie whispered, nodding.

Max smiled and leaned down to kiss her.

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><p><strong>AN: Let me know what you think! ;)**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: It's just a short chapter this one, but I hope you like it all the same. Let me know what you think!**

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><p>Rosie's odd cravings continued, but Max indulged her and said nothing about how weird they were, though Dup liked to mock her for it.<p>

In love as they were, Rosie couldn't help but wonder how she and Max had ever fallen apart. It just didn't seem possible. They were closer than ever, but they still had their little arguments, like when max tried to persuade Rosie not to help out with the animals or when she asked him to stay home and read to her that night. He'd never read to her before, but Rosie had a theory she wanted to test out.

It seemed to her that every time Max said something, their little girl kicked. It had startled her the first time it happened, when Max had wandered into the kitchen, calling out that he'd managed to fix the jeep when it refused to start one morning. The baby had kicked just as Rosie's heart had leapt at the sight of her shirtless husband. His chest shone with sweat and oil, setting Rosie's eyes wide.

It was at times like that that she still couldn't quite believe how lucky she was. She still questioned how she had ever managed to get a guy like Max, let alone keep him.

From that moment on, however, Max's voice had appeared to result in the baby's movement. Max didn't believe Rosie when she said that his voice made her move, and so refused to read to her.

Still one evening he had managed to get off work, they were lying in bed together, too awake to sleep but too tired to be doing anything in particular. Rosie was lying back against Max, resting the book of baby names open against her baby bump. Max had a newspaper and pen and was scratching his head, trying to work out the remaining four clues.

"Hey, Rosie, do you know this one? Common freshwater fish, five letters…"

Baby Trevanian moved again, kicking out with one tiny foot.

Rosie grinned and rubbed a hand over the spot.

"Rosie? Hey, Rosie? Weren't you listening?" Max asked.

"Sorry, what did you say? I was a bit distracted-"

Max took the book from Rosie's hand, his hand brushing her belly just as he said, "I asked you about a crossword clue-" He never finished what he was saying. Through just the back of his hand brushing Rosie's bump, he felt it: their little girl moving. Max lost all train of thought and his newspaper lay forgotten beside him, as he placed both his hands on Rosie's belly.

"Say something," Rosie whispered.

"Say what?" Max asked, laughing as again their little girl wriggled in Rosie's womb.

"Anything!" Rosie replied, joining Max in laughing lightly.

"She's the most perfect thing in the whole world," Max breathed.

Apparently, their daughter still heard him despite his lowered voice, as she kicked again, and both Rosie and Max felt the impact though his hands were layered on top of hers.

"I think she likes you," Rosie murmured, twisting her neck to look at Max.

He placed a kiss on her lips and then said, "How about I read now?"

She smiled and leant forwards to allow Max to get out of the bed. Once he was gone, she manoeuvred the pillows so that she could lie down and still let Max lean against the headboard without hurting his back.

"Great Expectations?" Max asked, picking up the first book on the shelf.

"No, she won't want to listen to that," Rosie replied.

"How about Animal Farm then?"

Shaking her head, Rosie replied, "You're the one who's got to read it, so why don't you choose?"

He returned and took his place beside Rosie, keeping one hand on her bump and using the other to hold the book. His voice was slow as he began reading Animal Farm to his wife and unborn daughter. Rosie soon fell asleep, though Max wasn't sure how she managed it when their daughter continued to kick and move.

Eventually he stopped reading and fell asleep too.

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><p><strong>AN: Leave a review if you've got time! :D**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Thanks to wildatheartfan and katy1986 for reviewing the last chapter! Hope you all like this one. Bit of a filler though, really. Anyway, let me know what you think!  
><strong>

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><p>When he and Rosie woke up, Max realised he must have moved overnight, as he found himself lying with his head on her belly.<p>

"Comfortable," Rosie asked with a grin.

"Yes, actually," Max answered. "Now if you'd let me get back to snoozing-"

"Well, that's too bad. Dad wants you to clean out the enclosures in the clinic today. He's radioed for you four times already so you should probably hurry and get dressed."

Max groaned and rolled over, running his hands over his face. He really needed to shave, he thought, but it would have to wait if Danny really did want his help. He supposed it was to be expected that he would have to start chipping in more at Leopard's Den. Nobody wanted Rosie to overexert herself.

He was slow to actually get out of bed, lying on top of the thin sheet for a few minutes as he tried to work up the enthusiasm to get dressed. It was only when static noise came from the radio, followed by Danny again asking Max, for his help that he really got a move on, stumbling around the room as he tried to pull his jeans on.

"See you later," Max said to Rosie, kissing her cheek and leaving.

As he worked through the hot sun, scooping up spade after spade of straw, Max couldn't help thinking more about what they might call their little girl. He knew Rosie would be thinking about Miranda, though whether she would ultimately set her heart on naming their daughter after her mother, he didn't know. He liked the name Miranda, but he really thought it would be better to decide on a name after she'd been born by seeing what suited her.

"You done yet, Max?" Danny asked through the radio.

"Almost," he answered, wiping his brow on the back of his hand. It really was hard work. His back was aching and his shirt clung to him with sweat.

"Great. Alice and I are on our way with the new cheetah."

It took Max another five minutes to clear out all the old straw and lay down the new stuff for the cheetah that would spend the next two weeks in observation just to make sure it was healthy and fit for release.

Max stayed watching the cheetah in the temporary enclosure, revelling in the sight of the wild animal watching him back.

"Didn't think I'd find you here," Rosie said as she walked towards him, rubbing her belly with one of her hands.

It was odd how Max had come to love the animals as much as everyone else. Rosie could remember when she first met him, coming back to Africa after dropping out of Uni, and how he'd stubbornly told her that trying to rescue Tula was pointless. Somehow he'd changed his mind about that, and his help had been valued then as much as it was now.

"I was just thinking we should give him a name. Everyone else seems to have one."

Rosie nodded. It was true that they had a tradition of naming the animals.

"Maybe you should ask Liv, she was the one who always named all the others," Rosie replied.

"What? You don't think we can come up with something?"

Rosie shrugged, unsure why Max was being a bit pushy.

"Come on. We can easily think of something right?"

"I guess," Rosie answered. "How about Nala?"

"This isn't a lion, Rosie, and Nala's a girl's name," Max complained. "What about Fred?"

"You want to call this cheetah Fred?"

"Yep, I think he looks like a Fred, don't you?"

"Fred it is then," Rosie replied, silently disagreeing with the fact that their cheetah apparently 'looked like a Fred.'

Max smirked, struggling to keep a straight face.

"What are you laughing about?" Rosie asked, knowing her husband so intimately that she could usually tell exactly what he was thinking and knew what his different facial expressions meant.

"I'm sorry, I can't keep it up. We're not really going to call him Fred, are we?"

"I hope not," Rosie laughed.

"Come on, let's go inside. We'll think about it later," Max said, wrapping an arm around Rosie's shoulders.

The pair of them walked up the house steps together, still deliberating over names.

"Why don't you write down some suggestions?" he suggested. "I'm just going to dive into the shower. I smell terrible after all that work."

Rosie nodded and seated herself at the kitchen table, drawing the pad of paper they usually used as a shopping list towards her.

_Potatoes_

_Beer_

_Grapefruit_

_Bread_

_Flour_

_Chicken_

_Tomatoes_

_Chicory_

_More Beer_

_Milk_

_Boerewors_

_Pumpkin_

The list would grow during the week but it was obvious not only from the items on the list, but from the untidy scrawl of handwriting, that Dup was the main contributor to the shopping list.

Rosie shook her head and turned over the page. Taking up the pen, she tapped it repeatedly against the table, trying to come up with something. In twenty minutes she had only managed to come up with Julien and Rico.

She was back to tapping the pen against the table when Max burst in, just pulling his trousers up and declared, "I've got it! We should call him Letsego!"

Rosie smiled and agreed with Max. The Afrikaans name was better than anything she'd come up with.

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><p><strong>AN: And yes, I did steal some names from Madagascar... :P**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm so sorry for not being here for a few weeks and not warning you about it. To prepare for my exams and actually revise, I had to take a few weeks off writing and FFn and so I haven't even been on the internet for about two weeks. I did intend to write and get a chapter up yesterday as my exams had finished, but I didn't really feel up to it as one of my rabbits died yesterday. **

**Anyway, I hope you like the chapter that I've written. So I'll stop talking and let you read. (By the way, I apologise for any typos etc, but I couldn't wear my glasses when I wrote this, as they broke, so I'm temporarily nearly blind. :P)  
><strong>

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><p>Max's heart pounded as he sought out Rosie. He'd woken up to find her out of the bed. It was odd, considering Rosie had never been the type of person to wake up early, and she never got out of bed without him. Confused, Max had checked the bathroom, the dining room, the living room and even Dup's study with no luck.<p>

The rest of the house was still sleeping. Not wanting to bother Danny and Alice, or anybody else for that matter, Max had dressed as quickly as he could and left the house, dashing back in and grabbing something from one of his draws upon impulse.

He walked around the house, checked the clinic and the holding pens before he realised one of the jeeps was missing. Blinking away the last remnants of sleep, Max stiffly climbed into a jeep of his own and started the engine. Following the tyre tracks Rosie had left, Max drove away from the house and out towards the open grounds.

"Where would she go," he muttered to himself, as Rosie's tyre prints merged into several others. If Dup had been there, Max was sure he would have been able to work out which tracks were Rosie, but he was stuffed and doomed to drive to the first places he could think of because he was alone.

A single zebra wandered into view, causing Max to realise that Leopard's Den was strangely quiet and sparse of animals. He was already a few miles from the house. Usually, he'd have seen at least a herd of wildebeest by now.

Wondering where the animals were, Max decided that perhaps that might be where Rosie was.

The watering holes seemed like the best place to start, so Max headed for the nearest one and got as close as he could before getting out of the car. On foot, he walked between the trees that were too close together for the car to fit between, and felt relief flood him as he saw Rosie leaning back against a tree and looking at the rising sun's reflection on the water.

Her pregnancy almost to term, Rosie felt more assured than ever that nothing would go wrong this time. She'd been so happy in the last few months, after her hormones had stopped fluctuating, that she and Max had been getting on better than ever.

Almost silently, Max approached her and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Rosie turned and smiled at the sight of him before looking back at the view.

It was beautiful, Max supposed, but it didn't compare the sight of his wife. He would never tire of looking into Rosie's blue eyes or the feeling of her hand in his. Knowing already what he was going to do, Max's mouth went dry. His palms began to sweat. His heart rate accelerated and his Adam's apple bobbed visibly as he gulped.

One of his knees clicked as he got down on one knee, still holding onto Rosie's hand, trying to make it look like he was going to sit down. Feeling the jostling of her hand, Rosie turned to find Max kneeling and now holding her hand in two of his. Without even thinking, she gave him her other hand and he began speaking.

"Rosie, you know I love you." His voice was hoarse and weak, but Max continued regardless. "You've made me the happiest man alive. I can hardly believe we're going to have a baby to look after in a few days. What I'm trying to say Rosie is will you marry me?"

Smiling somewhat, Rosie replied, "But we're still married, Max…"

Laughing, Max told her, "You know what I mean. I want us to renew our vows. So will you marry me? Again?"

Rosie nodded, and whispered, "Yes," feeling too happy to ruin the moment by answering normally.

From his pocket, Max took the ring and slid it back onto Rosie's ring finger on her left hand.

"Isn't this…my engagement ring?" Rosie asked, inspecting it. She given it back to Max when they'd split up in case he met someone else and wanted to marry her. They hadn't divorced, so Rosie kept the wedding ring, wanting something to remember Max by.

"I only want you to wear it," he mumbled with a nod, getting off his knees and kissing her deeply.

Rosie moaned and pulled him closer before stopping altogether. Surprised Max moved back slightly, opening his eyes to see Rosie looking a bit scared, if he was being honest.

"Rosie?" he asked uncertainly.

"My water just broke," she managed to say back.

Feeling blinded by momentary panic and the fact that she was going to give birth early, Max stared for a few moments before kicking into gear and taking the lead.

"Right, we need to get back to the house and call the midwife," he said, trying to recall the midwife's phone number. It was for emergency use, so he hadn't bothered to learn it, thinking that they'd already be at the hospital with Doctor Kruger when Rosie's water broke and she began having contractions. It was perhaps a mistake to forget about the fact that babies could be born early or late as they didn't even have time to get to the hospital now and they needed the midwife.

"But I need to watch the rest of the sunrise," Rosie replied, looking at his incredulously as she held her belly on either side.

"Rosie-" Max started to say, getting cut off as a contraction hit Rosie; not a particularly strong one though it still caught her off-guard, and she suddenly grabbed his hand rather tightly. "Can we go now?" he asked.

Rosie nodded and allowed Max to help her to the jeep. Another contraction came as they drove back to the house, but used to the feeling of it now, it wasn't too bad. She was sure that worse ones would come later though.

Danny, Alice, Caroline, Dup and Charlotte were enjoying breakfast on the veranda when Max and Rosie returned.

"Where have you two lovebirds been?" Danny called out. "You missed Nomsa's homemade tea."

Alice frowned, watching as Max looked worriedly over at Rosie. "Danny-" she began, getting cut off as Max answered Danny by saying, "Rosie's gone into labour!"

In an instant there was pandemonium. Danny and Alice leapt to their feet and rushed down to the car in a chorus of shouts. Caroline and Dup rushed into the house and Charlotte was left sitting at the table, watching everyone else.

"Dup call the midwife!" Danny shouted, helping Max to lift Rosie out of the jeep.

"Take her to the bedroom," Alice instructed, following behind Max and Danny and Rosie.

Rosie groaned as another contraction came, and Max sped up his walking.

"Put her on the bed," Alice told the two men, poking her head out of the bedroom door and into the hallway to speak to Caroline. "We need towels, hot water…"

Caroline nodded, and hurried into the kitchen.

"Dup! How's that phone call coming?" Danny shouted.

"I'm still on the bloody phone, Trevanian! At least wait until I'm done before asking me stupid questions!"

"We don't have time! Rosie's in labour!"

"Then tell her to keep her legs crossed!" Dup answered.

Rosie laughed, looking over at Max. "Looks like Dup's a bit delayed in his advice giving."

Max smiled back at her and climbed onto their bed to sit beside her and hold her hand.

It wasn't long before the more painful contractions came and Rosie clenched Max's hand in a more bruising grip that made him almost cry out. The midwife arrived though, and sent Danny and Alice outside, shutting the bedroom door behind them.

Danny paced outside as Rosie continued to groan and moan with pain, the sounds getting louder the closer together her contractions came. More than anything he wished he knew what was going on, but he had no idea if there were complications or anything of the sort because the midwife wouldn't let him back in the bedroom, no matter how much he pleaded. Occasionally, she would open the door to ask for things like a wet handtowel to cool Rosie down, but that was all she ever said to Danny and Alice.

Eventually, Alice got fed up with Danny's pacing and dragged him into one of the seats they'd brought into the hall and sat down next to him, giving his hand a squeeze. "She'll be fine," Alice promised.

Danny nodded and kissed his wife, glad she understood him so well.

All of a sudden, there was silence and then the sound of a baby crying. Max grinned at Alice and let go of her hand to put his arm around her shoulders instead and pull her into a hug.

The midwife handed the baby over to Rosie and let the couple fuss over their daughter. When the midwife opened the door and let Danny rush in, Max Rosie was leaning back against Max, who had his arms around her and his chin rested on her shoulder. Both of them were cooing at the baby and marvelling at her full head of dark hair, stroking it. It was just as soft, softer even, than Rosie's, Max thought with a smile.

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><p><strong>AN: So what did you think? **

**I've got a quick question: Should I write the renewing of vows as an epilogue set like two years later, or do it as a chapter set like a few weeks later? If you have an opinion, I'd be grateful for it. So there'll either be one more chapter and an epilogue or just the epilogue depending on what you guys think. **

**Anyway, thanks for being such good readers. **

**Love SabreDae x**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I changed my mind – the renewing of Rosie and Max's vows will be the chapter after this and the epilogue will then come as a separate chapter. I hope that's okay with you all. Mainly, I decided to do this to focus for a bit on Max and Rosie as parents and their ickle, baby daughter. I hope that you like this chapter. Anyway, as always let me know what you thought**

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><p>For those first few days, anybody who tried to talk to Rosie or Max found it very difficult. Every moment of the day the couple were found to be absorbed in the daughter (who they had decided to name Emily) even when she was asleep, just as any couple new to parenting was. The sleepless nights also contributed to their lack of concentration. When Max did go in to work in his bar, he occasionally mixed up people's orders and once fell asleep standing up, whilst pulling a pint. Tired and engrossed as they were, Rosie and Max were hardly seen outside of the house, leaving Dup and Caroline to pick up some of the slack and take on Rosie's duties that Max had previously fulfilled.<p>

Rosie and Max, still in wonder of how perfect Emily was, watched over her when she slept, played with her when she was awake and photographed her ever moment. In all honesty it was a wonder that Emily ever managed to sleep with all the flashing of the camera and the usual shouts of Dup and the noises of the animals. Danny was just as bad, driving back to the house inbetween jobs just to pop in and see his 'favourite granddaughter.'

After a week or two things began to return to normal and Max returned to working more hours whilst Rosie looked after Emily during the day and tried to make some plans for the renewing of their wedding vows during Emily's naps. The new parents settled into a routine, alternating between who would get up in the middle of the night to soothe Emily back to sleep. A month after Emily had been born, Rosie and Max were naturals at caring for her and were beginning to see her reach some milestones. Emily already recognised the sound of both Rosie and Max's voices, and often kicked her legs and waved her arms.

One day she and Emily were sat in the front garden on a picnic blanket, enjoying the sun when Max returned home, leaving work early because Rosie had called to say that Emily had reached another milestone. After covering Emily in factor 50+ sunscreen, Rosie had carried her outdoors and laid her down on her back under the large parasol Dup had left in the ground during what was meant to be a romantic picnic for Caroline the previous evening. Emily seemed to like the bright African pattern, staring at it for a long time.

When Max arrived, he ran from the car and was

breathless as he shouted, "What is it? What's she doing now?"

Rosie smiled and picked Emily up.

"She's learnt to smile!"

Max grinned and took Emily into his arms. "Can you smile? Can you smile for Daddy?" he asked, his eyes showing excitement and just how proud he was of their daughter.

In response, Emily excitedly kicked her legs, gurgled and cooed for a moment before giving Max a toothless smile, all the while staring at him attentively. Rosie stood opposite max and laughed along with him, giving Emily her finger to hold onto, her tiny fingers folding around Rosie's much larger one. Looking up for a moment, Rosie met Max's adoring gaze and the two of them shared a kiss before moving back to the picnic blanket and trying to interest Emily in some of the toys they'd bought.

At night Emily already slept with a collection of teddy's and stuffed animals, which Danny had of course bought, splashing his money and already spoiling his granddaughter. But they'd also got toys that rattled or made noises, toys made from bright colours and different materials to play with during the day. The play mat they'd bought but had yet to use had a collection of toys that would also make noises and move hanging over where Emily would lie.

For the remainder of the afternoon, until she fell asleep of course, Rosie and Max played with Emily, trying to coax a laugh out of her. When Danny and Alice returned from picking Charlotte up from school, they arrived just in time to see Emily make a noise that both Rosie and Max swore was laughter after Rosie blew raspberries on her stomach. It wasn't long after that that Emily began to drift off, so Max carried her back into the house, changed her into a yellow babygrow to keep her warm and gently set her down in the cot beside their bed.

When he returned to Rosie, she was lying under the parasol, sunbathing with her eyes closed. Max smiled at the image and joined her, holding her hand as he laid down beside her.

"She's asleep," Max murmured, beginning to feel sleepy himself.

"Not for long, I'd be willing to wager," Rosie replied, equally as quiet.

"It's going to be at least twenty minutes before she wakes up," Max countered, turning his head to look at Rosie.

She raised her eyebrows and cocked her head towards the house, waiting.

As if on cue, a wail sounded in the house. Sighing, Max and Rosie rolled over and pushed themselves onto their feet.

"Don't worry!" Danny shouted to them. "I'll get her!"

"Thanks, Dad," Rosie called back, waving to him.

"We should probably go in anyway. Nomsa'll be serving dinner soon, right?" Max asked.

The two of them walked into the house together, coming face to face with Danny who was soothing Emily by dancing with her. Rosie smiled at the sight, whilst Alice hummed the tune with Danny. Really, things were just about perfect.

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><p><strong>AN: So what did you think? I hope you don't mind that I added this chapter in!  
><strong>

**If you don't believe anything about Emily's milestones, I can say that they are at the right age. It pays to have a mother who teaches child care and has about a thousand textbooks on child development. **

**Anyway, leave a review if you've got time. **

**Love SabreDae**

**xxx**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Hey guys! How is everyone? I hope you're feeling good, if not then hopefully this chapter will cheer you up! I have good news - the story is completely written and I just have the epilogue to upload now, which I'll probably do really soon (like tomorrow). Anyway, read on and let me know what you think. **

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><p>When Rosie and Max finally managed to complete the planning of how they would renew their vows and send all the invitations, Emily was almost six months old. She'd long ago learnt to laugh and could sit up without her head lagging backwards. She was in the age of exploring via her mouth, and Rosie and Max had to be more careful about what was left lying around on the floor. They didn't want Emily getting hold of one of Dup's beer bottles, and so despite the fact that Emily was quite capable of sitting up on her own and playing on her own, Rosie always had to supervise her.<p>

On the day of their vow renewals, Rosie placed Emily in her high chair at the kitchen table and prepared some breakfast for her, mashing up a banana which Emily almost immediately began eating with her fingers. Rosie marvelled at how much she had learnt and grown in six months. Danny wandered in and sat down after making a cup of coffee and a second one for Alice, who came into the kitchen with Charlotte.

"Ready for today?" Alice asked, grinning. She was excited about the vow renewal ceremony as she hadn't known any of the Trevanians when Rosie and Max got married. It would be nice to see the ceremony.

Rosie nodded, beaming at her stepmother and in the chair beside Emily's high chair with a cup of tea.

"Max gone to get ready with Fatani already?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, he left about an hour ago," Rosie answered, already beginning to miss Max's presence. Since his return they'd spent so much time together, perhaps even more so since Emily's birth. Neither one of them wanted to miss a moment, so they were with her as much as possible and that meant the two of them also being together. In just six months they'd shared so much that it felt right that they renew their vows. Rosie knew they wouldn't feel like a married couple again until they did.

It wouldn't be like last time, she thought. She wouldn't wear a wedding dress, though of course they were dressing up still. It wasn't about tradition or the perfect wedding; it was just about them.

Leaving Emily under Danny and Alice's supervision, Rosie grabbed her toast and went to the front door so she could see Liv as soon as she arrived. As her Maid of Honour of sorts, Olivia was helping Rosie get ready, whilst Fatani was doing the same for Max, acting as his Best Man. When Liv arrived, she came with about five make-up bags crammed full with make-up, nail varnish and hair products, though she instantly dropped those and practically demanded to see Emily, her niece.

"Look at how big you've got, Emily," Liv said, using that voice that everyone seems to use around babies. "I mustn't have seen you in ages."

After fussing over Emily for a few moments and giving her a new teddy bear, which she grudgingly allowed to sit beside her in the high chair, Olivia finally left the kitchen with Rosie and started gossiping with her elder sister, seeming more excited than even Rosie was.

Rosie put on a pale blue, knee-length dress and sought out her shoes. Olivia curled her own hair first, already wearing her dress for the ceremony (a coral, mid-thigh dress with no straps) and then began picking out what make-up she would use on Rosie. After applying foundation and blusher, she worked on Rosie's eyes, lining them in midnight blue liquid eyeliner and coating her lids in two different tones of blue.

When they were ready, Olivia and Rosie returned to the kitchen to find that Caroline and Dup had already left, but that Danny, Charlotte and Alice with Robert were ready and waiting. Rosie picked up Emily, seating her on her hip, and the family walked out to the cars.

Max was already at the watering hole where he had found Rosie the morning Emily was born with Fatani stood beside him. In his blue shirt and black trousers he was beginning to feel too hot, but he wouldn't have complained. The day was too important. The vicar was stood on the other side, in the middle of the end of the aisle between the chairs. Caroline and DuPlessis weren't the only people already seated and waiting. Nomsa and Ed were there, as was Evan, who had secretly flown out and was intending to surprise Rosie as well as everyone else.

Fatani turned to Max and tried to engage him in conversation, but Max didn't hear a word he said as at that moment Rosie arrived, stepping down from the jeep. His eyes searched hers and both of them smiled at the sight of one another. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, Rosie passed Emily to Danny and began walking down the aisle on his arm, as Emily looked at all the people, finding their faces fascinating.

Max took Rosie's hand the moment she reached him and grinned at Danny, stroked Emily's cheek and then turned to face the vicar.

The vicar gave some introductory words about the importance and the sanctity of marriage but then passed over to Max, who began to recite his vows.

"Rosie, beautiful Rosie, funny Rosie, caring and compassion Rosie, my wife Rosie, I love you more than words can say. I'm so glad I came back to fight for you, for us and I know now that I can't live without you. I'll never stop fighting for you, for Emily now that we have her and for what we have. I love you so much and I always will. I'll take care of you when you're sick, put up with your moods when we run out of chocolate," he said, grinning at Rosie, who shot him a mock glare, earning a chuckle from the audience. "And I'll keep you safe. You mean so much to me and I don't know what Emily or I would do without you."

Rosie smiled, feeling her eyes beginning to water. There was nothing that Max could have said that would have moved her more.

Taking a shuddering breath, she began her own vows.

"Max, what can I say? You're the sensible to my crazy, the reservation to my spontaneity. You're my other half and I couldn't live without you. Being separated from you was one of the hardest things. I never got over you and I hope I never will. Being in love with you is like waking up on a bright, summer's day and seeing the sun. You never know what'll happen but you know it'll be good. You bring light and warmth to my life and make living an adventure. I'll be happy if I spend the rest of my life with you and bring as much happiness to you as you've given me. I love you, I love Emily and I love our family."

A chorus of murmured aws rippled through the audience as the vicar told Rosie and Max that they had renewed their vows and were still a married couple. Max grinned and kissed Rosie, lifting her feet off the floor in his exuberance. Dup snapped a photo, chuckling and loosening his tie before the party began. Nomsa had prepared a selection of food the night before and it was all plated up on the tables and waiting to be eaten.

"Come on," Rosie said to max, giggling somewhat.

"Congratulations," Danny told them, coming forwards and kissing Rosie on the cheek, as Emily reached out to her mother with both her arms, demanding to be picked up.

"Thanks Dad," Rosie replied, relieving him of the baby and waving at Alice, Caroline and Dup who were coming towards them.

Max took Emily from Rosie and hugged her close, as Alice and Rosie embraced, nattering away as women do. But, Rosie was distracted because, as she looked over Alice's shoulder, she happened to see a young man with dark hair walking towards them.

"Evan?" she muttered, not quite believing her eyes. She hadn't seen Evan in years.

"Congratulations, Rosie," he said as soon as he was close enough. "Hey Danny, Dup, everyone."

Danny whirled around at the sound of his voice. "Evan?" he asked in disbelief.

"Who else?"

Danny laughed and pulled Evan into a hug as Dup finally let go of his chest.

"Don't do that, boy. You'll give an old man a heart attack!" Dup complained, though he looked pleased to see Evan, who had once been his sort of protégé.

"Why didn't you tell us you were coming?" Danny asked whilst Liv hugged her brother.

"I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Certainly surprised me," Dup muttered.

"And me," Rosie agreed though she had to turn away from Evan as Emily had decided to pull on Rosie's hair, seeking her attention.

Evan smirked and went to say hello to Emily, never having met her.

"Say hello to Uncle Evan, Emily," Rosie said, but never having met Evan, Emily seemed a bit shy and though she stared at him, not recognising his face, she wouldn't let him hold her.

After a few hours, Emily did begin to warm up to him and enjoyed dancing with Rosie and Max, who held her hands and let her feet rest on the ground. The family partied for a few hours and then returned to the house to relax.

Danny and Alice looked after Emily to give Rosie and Max some privacy. It felt odd to be without her, even if she wasn't far away, but they'd become used to her sleeping in their bedroom and spending so much time with her during the day. She still didn't sleep through the night but she awoke less frequently. Despite that, Max and Rosie hadn't been intimate since before she was born and they were both happy to have the chance to be alone together.

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><p><strong>AN: So, just the epilogue left now… Let me know what you thought of the chapter if you've got time. By the way, does anyone else find it weird that they never mention Evan on the show anymore? **


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Here's the epilogue, people! I'm going to keep this AN short and let you read. I hope you like it. **

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><p>Emily said her first word at ten months. It wasn't Mama, like Rosie and Max were expecting and it wasn't Dada like Max hoped. Emily's first word was cat.<p>

"She's clearly been spending too much time with your dad," Max had muttered, referring to the hours Danny had spent showing Emily different animals in books, in photos and telling her what type of animals her stuffed toys were.

Danny was over the moon, claiming that there would be another vet in the family, but by the time Emily's first birthday rolled around, it was obvious that perhaps her talents lay elsewhere. Emily loved to walk. She'd taken her first unassisted steps only a few weeks after her first word and since then had only become more confident, seeming to run about the house rather than walk, though of course she hadn't yet learned to run. And she could say much more than dog too, though despite how much he tried Danny couldn't get her to name any more animals. Emily could refer to Max and Rosie as Dada and Mama and was beginning to develop nicknames for the rest of the family. Alice was known as Ala and Charlotte had become Ott.

Proud of her, Rosie and Max were happier than ever. As she was getting older, Rosie started helping out with treating the animals again, sometimes taking Emily with her to see the less dangerous animals. Emily was fast becoming friends with one of the meerkats that had been abandoned at birth. And Max found himself reluctantly going to work and being so eager to come home at the end of the day, despite how much he loved his job, because he wanted to see what Emily had learnt. She was so bright.

The family planned something special for her birthday. Alice and Liv worked together to bake a birthday cake and even travelled into the city to buy candles. Caroline and Dup decorated the house and bought ordered a tricycle for her over the internet. Danny cleared his schedule for the day and rooted through some of the things he'd brought over from England to find a record of children's songs to play on Dup's old record player, moving the machine from the study to the living room.

Rosie and Max followed Emily into the living room as she ran to sit on her play mat and play with the bus that moved. Caroline and Dup looked on, finding her behaviour endearing. Robert was already on the living room floor with a car and the two children began a game together with Max and Rosie sat behind their daughter on the sofa.

"Happy Birthday to you," Danny started singing, bringing in the cake with one lit candle on top. Alice, Charlotte and Olivia walked behind and joined in the singing.

"Emily, look," Rosie said, pointing at the doorway and the cake.

The infant swivelled to look and clapped her hands. After the vow renewal ceremony, she had been allowed a mouthful of cake and appeared to enjoy the sugary food.

Rosie and Max moved down to sit on either side of Emily, taking the cake from Danny and holding it in front of her at a safe distance.

"Blow out the candle, Emily," Max said, showing her how to blow.

Confused, Emily looked from him to the cake before trying to blow out the candle. The flame flickered but stayed little. The next time Emily tried to blow it out, Rosie and Max joined her and the three of them extinguished the flame.

Everyone clapped and laughed and Dup reached behind his chair to bring out the first of Emily's presents, one from Danny and Alice. Rosie took it from him and put it down in front of Emily. Emily stared at the wrapping paper and ran her hands over it, gripping the box's corners but not quite knowing what to do with it. Max smiled and lifted Emily onto his lap and, looking over the top of her head, began to unwrap it. Emily soon joined in though she wasn't very good a ripping off the paper.

Rosie took the lid of the box and put a few building blocks in front of Emily, who picked them up and tried to put them together, clearly curious about them.

Danny stood and started the record, playing Nelly the Elephant. Dup picked up a second present which, when unwrapped, turned out to be a collection of picture books sent over from England by Evan. Olivia and Fatani, who was stuck at work, gave Emily a toy garage with toy cars to play with. Rosie and Max had bought Emily a new, bigger bumper cot but didn't take Emily to see it as Max had yet to assemble it. They did give her a set of crayons and a colouring book though.

Dup heaved the box containing Emily's tricycle up and put it down on the floor in front of her. Emily stared at its size – it was the biggest present yet. Rosie and Dup opened it, practically demolishing the box as there was so much cellotape on it. Finally seeing the trike, Emily smiled and pointed at it, obviously wanting a ride on it.

Max lifted her onto the plastic seat, attached the handle for parents onto the back and began to push her around.

Rosie smiled as her daughter laughed with joy. Watching Max and Emily having so much fun made her think that things couldn't be any more perfect and she could hardly believe that only about two years ago things had been so different. She hadn't had Emily and she hadn't had Max either.

Max was a natural father to Emily, enjoying playing with her because she was having such fun.

"Mama," Emily said, gesturing for Rosie to join in.

Laughing, Rosie stood and joined her husband and daughter in travelling through the house.

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you guys have enjoyed this story. It's been a pleasure to write it and I've loved every moment of it. Thanks go to everyone who reviewed this story. As always I would love to know what you thought of this epilogue so leave a review if you've got time. Thanks so much for reading. **

**Much love, SabreDae**

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


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